International Exhibit to Honor UAE Artist
March 2017
Wilder, ID – Mr. Harry Hukkinen, Art Teacher K-12 Wilder School District, was recently invited to submit an artwork paying tribute to Hassan Sharif, a man “recognized as a pioneer of conceptual art and experimental practice in the Middle East.” Sharif passed away September 18, 2016.
Mr. Hukkinen was fortunate to have spent time with Hassan during graduate studies at the University of the Arts, under the directorship of Joe Girandola. In 2011, a group of MFA candidates were invited to submit work for the 29th Annual Exhibition of the Emirates Fine Art Society. Those selected were invited to the UAE to install the work at the Sharjah Art Museum and tour the Flying House, a Dubai institution for promoting contemporary Emirati artists, co-founded by Sharif in 2007, where Sharif extended his mentorship role to the visiting artists.
An exhibition entitled, “Missing Objects”, will be held in Hassan Sharif’s honor at the Flying House, during the month of March, 2017. Curator of the show, Cristiana De Marchi, requested that the participating artists, create an artwork that reflected their relationship with Sharif. Mr. Hukkinen, impressed by Sharif’s selfless devotion to his students, reflected on commitment and support of other artists and was inspired to create a submission from Wilder School District’s student artwork. Middle school and high school students drew black ink art designs on one inch paper squares. Sixty-four squares were selected and transformed into a single unified composition, entitled, “31 Students”.
Mr. Hukkinen is a firm believer that art is a universal language with the ability to transcend language and cultural barriers and that artists need to continually create opportunities for students to experience this.
Sources:
http://stillmelting.blogspot.com/2011/01/art-and-hospitality.html
http://www.alexandergray.com/artists/hassan-sharif/
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20160919/ARTICLE/160919210/1059
